Clasp



. S. JUHNSON.

CLASP.

APPLIpAloN' FILEU APH.10. 1917.

Patented Dec, 2

FFlQFi.

JOHN S. JOHNSON, OF CANANDAIGA, NEW YORK.

CLASP.

.To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN S. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canandaigua in the county olf Ontario and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Clasps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

rlhe object of this invention is to provide an improved clasp orrclip for use in connecting an unsupported garment to a supported garment, so that the latter will hold the 'former in position, although the invention is applicable for connecting other articles.

lllustrating the lirst mentioned instance of the object ot' the invention, l. have herein explained it as used for supporting mens drawers upon the trousers.

The invention consists of a lever clasp, having a smooth, unbroken outer portion, and an inner portion integral with the outer portion and parallel with the outer portion to the extent ot its length, the two portions being spaced apart su'lliciently to admit between them the objects on which the clasp is intended to be used; the inner portion having its lower end provided with hinge knuckles between which a clampinglever is pivoted in such way that the hinge is located within the space between the outer and inner portions and hencerelieves the clasp oi' external projections, this clamping lever having an operating piece lying outside of the inner portion and terminating in a gripping piece within the space which is curved upward so as to grip the adjacent article to be clasped and clamp it against the outer portion and tighten its hold on the articles as strain is' applied upon the lever in aI downward direction away trom the clasp, and so as to release its grasp on the article when strain is applied to the clasp as a whole in a downward di rection, asl will proceed now to explain and finally claim.4

' ln the accompanying drawings illustrat ing the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure l is a perspective view illustrating the upper or body portions of a pair of trousers and drawers connected by two of the clasps. Fig. 2 is an outside elevation of the clasp, Fig. 3 a side elevation, Fig. 4 an inside elevation, and Fig. 5 a vertical section. Fig. 6 is an elevation showing the Specification of Letters Patent. Pagen @la 2g, 192,90

vApplication filed April 10,

191'?. Serial No. 161,042.

clasp open. Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation illustrating the .clasp applied to two thicknesses of material to connect them. Fig. 8

-is a perspective view orn the reverse of the clamping lever. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation showing the inner side of the outer portion. l

T he body of the clasp comprises an outer portion l of sullicient width and length to engage an article without being undulyV conspicuous, and having its exterior smooth and unbroken, and preferably having its lower edge 2 curved inwardly, and an inner portion 3 of substantially the same 'width as the outer portion but slightly shorter, and having the hinge-knuckles el formed on its lower edge, these knuckles exn tending inwardly so as to preserve a smooth pro'iectionless exterior in this regard.

The inner and outer portions are preferably in one piece, and spaced apart so as to admit the articles to be connected between them. as shown in detail in Figs. l and 7.

Between the hinge-knuckles l is a recess 5, and in this recess is arranged the clamping lever 6, which is composed of an operating piece 7 of less length than the lower ,portion 3, and arranged outside of the in* ner portion, and a gripping piece 8 extending substantially at right angles from the lower end of the operating piece and preferably provided with one or more teeth 9 or other gripping elements, the extremities of which are curved or inclined upwardly toward the top of the clasp. This clamplever is provided, in any suitable way, integrally or otherwise, with the pintle member 10 ol the hinge, to engage the hingelrnuckles 4, to pivotally or hingedly connect the body and the clamping lever of the clasp, so as to permit the clamping lever to be moved into the open position shown in Fig. 6 with the tooth or teeth 9 projecting outwardly through recess 5 so as to wholly clear the space between the outer portion 1 and the innerportion 3 of obstructions for application of the clasp to the articles to be connected, after which the clamping lever is moved into the closed po- .ition shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and Fig. 7, to connect such articles. As shown in Fig. 7, for example, in the case of connecting drawers to trousers which are supported by suspenders, the weight of the garments would tend to drag them downward and hence the strain would be downward on the clasps f clamping lever against its gripping piece 8,

and this-would be resisted by theV Contact of theoperating piece 7 with the inner p0rtion 3.

As shown in Fig. 9, the inner surface of the outer portion l may be roughened, as at ll, or otherwise provided with an escaperesisting element, to coperate with the clamping lever in insuring the permanence of the engagement of theV clasp with the parts to be connected.

Variations in details of construction are contemplated as within the principle of the invention and the scope of the claims herein made; and in-this connection'I would say that I am aware that a clasp having a body portion and a clamping lever pivoted thereto is old, but I do not know ol any such clasp embodying the `elements of construction herein dened and in which the grippingpiece is on the end of the clamping lever opposite the fulcral point and isk curved so that when closedupon articles to Vbe connected the weight of Y the article tightens the clasp and forces the clamping lever toward the inner member; the heavier the article the tighter the hold, the clasp maintaining its eilectivenesswithout the use of a locking element for the clamping lever,

and the clasp as a whole being automatically released by pressure nponit in a direction toward the clasped article.

Y The clasp may be released by simply pressing down the top of the clamping lever,

Vor ,raising the garment upon the lever, or

pressing the clasp as a whole toward the garment, whereupon the vlever flies open and releases the clasp; l

` The clasp may be made of any suitable metal and its design varied at pleasure.

What I claim is i l. As an'imprfoved article of manufacture,

' a .clasp composed of anouter portion and an inner-.portion in cne'piece and arranged substantially parallel and spaced apart to admit between them the articles tobe clasped, the inner portion having hinge-elements at its free endl extending inwardly into vthe space i betweenthe. outer and inner Vportions so als to leave the outer and inner portions 'smooth and free of exterior projections,V and a clamping lever pivotally 4connected with the hinge-elements within the said space and having an operating piece adapted when closed to lie fiat against the exterior of the inner portion and of less length thansuch inner portion and a gripping piece projecting from the i'ulcral endV oi' the'clamping lever into said space and toward the outerv portion kand having gripping elements curvedupwardly toward the top of the clasp to grip an article between said clamping lever and the inner surface of the outer portion when said lever is closed, and adapted to be released automatically when the claspas a whole is pressedV toward the gripped y cess-and having an operating piece adapted to lie flat against the exterior of the inner portion and also having a gripping piece operating within said recess and extending from the clamping lever at itsl fulcral point toward the outer portion of the clasp and curved upwardly so as when strain is applied in one direction to tighten the hold of between-,it and the inner surface of the outer portion and to eilect the release of the clasp when strain is` applied to the clasp asa whole in the direction or" the clasped article. i

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 13 day of March, D. 1917.

- JOHN S. JOHNSON.

"vWitnesses: f

Y Y AnsAN J. GARDNER, ,EDiIH GARDNER.-

the clasp on an article while engaged by and 

